Featured artists:
James (Jim) E. Thomas is founder and President of USSSP. He serves as principal narrator for
events and Director of the “Spirituals” Choir. He has given presentations on Spirituals in
Germany, Brazil, Austria, Sweden, Africa and various locations across the United States. Since
1976, he has been the founding Director of the American Red Cross Chorus at its Headquarters
in Washington DC. He has recruited and directed military choirs in Vietnam and Germany.
While attending Fisk University, Mr. Thomas sang with the world renowned Fisk Jubilee
Singers. Later he sang with the Robert Shaw Chorale in Atlanta and the Paul Hill Chorale as
soloist at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. In 2006, he formed a “Spirituals”
Choir on Martha’s Vineyard, MA dedicated solely to educating the public about Slave Songs.
The US Slave Song Project Inc (USSSP) is a non-profit organization that is solely
dedicated to educating the public about authentic US Slave Songs. US Slave Songs are also
known as Negro Spirituals circa 1619-1865. Spirituals are true American folk music. There were
no new Spirituals after the ones that celebrated the emancipation of the slaves. Unlike Gospel
music, no spirituals were composed. Slave Songs/Spirituals are indeed a fascinating body of
work. “Ironically, Negro spirituals were born in the white church,” Mr. Thomas recently said in
an interview with the Vineyard Gazette. “Almost always there were two meanings for a spiritual,
the most obvious being religious. Since these songs were not originally sung as concert
arrangements but used for means of ordinary conversation, the choir is not made up of
professional singers. The choir is composed of persons interested in authentic spirituals.” This
evening, Mr. Thomas will announce his choir’s program and give descriptive notes for each
selection.
Guest choirs:
The Federated Church of Edgartown
http://www.edgfedchurch.com/
Peter Boak, Director of Music
First Parish Arlington, UU
http://firstparish.info/
Laura Prichard, Director of Music
Featured artists:
David Rhoderick directs the music program at the West Tisbury Congregational Church. He is
the president of the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society and has served as the organist,
pianist, and music director at the historic Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs.
Peter Boak moved to the Vineyard in 1994. He is the Founding Director of the 120-voice Island
Community Chorus and is the Director of Music for the Federated Church in Edgartown. His
first job as a teenager was as a church organist. He went on to earn a bachelor's degree in music
education from Westminster Choir College in Princeton, N.J.; a master's degree in sacred music
from Southern Methodist University, in Dallas, Texas; and secured a job as Minister of Music
for the 1,200-member congregation of Central Presbyterian Church in Summit, N.J. He has
taught music at the Tisbury School and directed the music program at Grace Church.
Philip R. Dietterich (b. 1931) was born into a musical family in Buffalo, New York. A lifelong
Methodist, he is a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, The Boston University School of
Theology and Union Theological Seminary, New York City. For most of his adult life he was the
full time Minister of Music at First United Methodist Church in Westfield, New Jersey. A widely
published composer of church music his "Followers of the Lamb" AG 7223 has been a best
selling anthem in the Hope catalog for many years. Mr. Dietterich now lives in Oak Bluffs,
Massachusetts and conducts the Vintage Voices and the Scottish Society.
Bass/baritone Michael Prichard began his professional career at nine singing treble with the
Choir of Men and Boys of Trinity Church, New Haven, CT. At MIT, he studied voice and was a
founding member of the MIT Chamber Chorus. A longtime member of the Tanglewood Festival
Chorus, he has appeared locally with the Island Community Chorus, the New World Chorale,
and the Lexington Symphony. He made his solo debut at Tanglewood in Stravinsky’s Les Noces
with Charles Dutoit.
This Katharine Cornell Theatre concert benefits The One Fund Boston.
Thank you for supporting this worthy cause!
The One Fund Boston was created at the request of Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino and
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick. The Victim Relief Fund of The One Fund Boston will be
used to assist those families of the victims of the victims who were killed and the victims who
were most seriously affected as a result of the tragic events during the Boston Marathon on April
15, 2013 and related events on April 18th and April 19th. Through the generosity of businesses,
foundations, and individual donors, the One Fund Boston has received over $37 million dollars.
Musicians from First Parish UU of Arlington, MA
Laura Prichard, director
That Lonesome Road (1980)
James Taylor
One Voice by The Wailin’ Jennies (2003)
Ruth Moody
Let the River Run (1988)
Carly Simon
Lorraine Cooley, Patricia Hawkins, Janice Hegeman, John Hodges, Jo Guthrie, Bella & Lee Jaffe,
Jason & Alice Merrill, George Pereli, Mike Prichard, Caleb & Lily Snyder DiCesare, Sue Streeter
Special thanks for Concert Management Help/Photography: Stuart Jester, Cola Hodges & Pooja Chakma
David Rhoderick, piano
Partita No. 6 in E minor, BWV 830 (1730)
The Federated Church of Edgartown Choir
Peter Boak, director
His Eye is On the Sparrow (1905)
City Called Heaven (1952)
Johann Sebastian Bach
Civillia D. Martin/
Charles Gabriel
Edward Boatner
Scottish Society members Katrina Nevin and Dorian Lopes
To the Beggin’ I Will Go
Traditional 17th cen.
Jack of All Trades/Ae Fond Kiss (1791)
Robert Burns
My Heart’s in the Highlands (1789)
Robert Burns
U.S. Slave Song Project
Jim Thomas, director
Oh Wasn’t That a Wide River
In Bright Mansions
Soon I Will Be Done
Done Made My Vow
Sit Down Servant
My Soul’s Been Anchored
Michael Prichard, baritone
O Isis und Osiris (Song of Blessing, 1790)
Wolfgang A. Mozart
Aria and Chorus of Priests from Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute)
The Impossible Dream from Man of La Mancha (1965)
Darion/Leigh
Vintage Voices
Phil Dietterich, director
Sentimental Journey (1944)
Brown/Horner
Somewhere Over the Rainbow (1938)
Arlen/Harburg
I’ll Be Seeing You (1938)
Fain/Kahal
Sweet Caroline
Neil Diamond
Chorus: Hands, touching hands; reaching out, touching me, touching you.
Sweet Caroline! Oh, no, no. Good times never seemed so good.
I've been inclined to believe they never would.